Synthesis of water-insoluble polyacrylamide by plasma-initiated polymerization and its application to adsorption of metal ions

Abstract

Water-insoluble polyacrylamide (PAAM) was synthesized by plasma-initiated polymerization of acrylamide and methylenebisacrylamide, and was studied for adsorption of Pd(II), Fe(III), Cu(II), Ni(II), Co(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II) from acidic solution. These metal ions were quantitatively adsorbed onto the PAAM. The reproducibility of the adsorption was confirmed by using PAAM of different lots. Ability of adsorption of the PAAM was not decreased even after five repetition of adsorption and desorption. It is expected that the polymers which have the ability of selective adsorption for various metal ions are obtained according to the choice of appropriate monomers in the plasma-initiated polymerization method.